Illinois to send pizzas to troops overseas

CHICAGO (AP) — Military members deployed overseas will get about 10,000 Chicago-style pizzas in time for Super Bowl Sunday.

Veterans' officials and Gov. Pat Quinn say Wednesday that the idea is to send service members some comforts of home while they're deployed. The pizzas will go to troops in Afghanistan, Kuwait and Oman.

The nonprofit group Pizza 4 Patriots has been sending pizzas to service members since 2008. Group officials say they've sent a million slices in that time. They group partners with DHL Express and suburban Chicago-based Great Kitchens to make and ship the pies. They're packed with dry ice and ready to bake.

Quinn and others touted the annual event by a ceremonial moving of DHL boxes, which didn't have pizzas in them yet.